Paul K.

OK, I guess I was over thinking this whole low compression thing but I got the engine started and it runs better than it did mostly due to the new valve and no backfire. I was able to warm the engine, check the compression in two cylinders and they have come up considerably, however the engine is experiencing slow cranking so I was unable to accurately check the others. I am constantly surprised by the learning curve I experience with these older engines. Compared to newer engines, I did not think there could be such a large drop in compression between hot and cold. Also, as thought of before, the cleaning of the cylinders and possible carbon bits causing the valves not to seal are all items that could have had a cumulative effect. My thanks to all suggestions. My next issue is my slow cranking problem... again.

The head gasket was not blown. The head was removed to replace a burnt valve. The head has good torque and the engine ran well with the exception of a backfire from the burnt valve. As mentioned in an earlier post, Compression was 115-120 in 11 of the 12 cylinders prior to removing the head. The head looks good with a straight edge but regardless, it is not an alluminum head and sealed fine prior to removal. Now the bank with the new head gasket is 75 lbs. across all six holes. The side not taken apart is still at 115-120 lbs. As mentioned earlier, I am just going to start it, warm it up, and re-check the compression. I'll keep you posted.

Thanks Peecher good thought but the head I am having the problem with was installed on the car and had good compression with the exception of the #1 cylinder with the burnt valve. The only things changed were the head gasket (twice with the same results) and the valve which brought the compression up to the level of the other cylinders on the same bank. Still going crazy.

Well, I finally got around to getting the head back off to install the Fel Pro head gasket. I checked the head with a straight edge (machinist quality)and the largest space/uneveness of the head surface was at the MOST 1/64th of an inch and only in a couple of areas. To refresh everyone's memory here, this engine was running and had perfect compression of 115-120 in all cylinders with the exception of #1 that had 0 psi from a burnt valve. I replaced the valve and installed a new but old stock copper gasket that came with the car. I did not remove the other head. After the gasket change, there was compression in all of the cylinders, but it was low in all cylinders on that bank and at 75psi not the original 115-120. I then installed a new Fel Pro head gasket which has created no change from the previous copper style that originally gave me these crazy low compression results across the one bank. I am at the same place now, 75psi on the left bank with the new gasket, and 115-120 on the other side that was not taken apart. Uniformity is most important and I respect an earlier comment about the low compression readings possibly caused by cylinder wash-out during cleaning. A wet test only raised the compression about 5psi. What about ring expansion? On these old V12s, do the rings expand that much to cause this large variance between hot and cold? I realize the "good" side still has 115-120 psi when cold, but there was no cleaning done. Maybe the combination of cold and cleaning has caused this. For now, I will put everything back together and am going to try to get the engine to run, get it warm, cross my fingers and re-check the compression. Any ideas are appreciated, Thanks in advance.

Ditto on the '64. Also the 429 engine has a bit more power over the 390 in the '63. I miss my '64 Eldo.

Thanks Keiser, If those that you mention were hardtops, they were called Opera Coupes. Thanks for chiming in.

Another view of the Milan Roadster. Thanks for any help, I know this is a long shot. Paul K. San Diego, CA

I am looking for any information on the Milan Convertible Company. I have exhausted all internet searches and am hoping someone in Southern CA knows if any of the owners of the company are still around. The Milan Convertible Company modified 1976-1979 Cadillac Sevilles into two door, two seat roadsters. Please hold all comments. I know they are funny looking. The company was located just north of Los Angeles, CA in an area called Calabassas. The modified Sevilles were sold new through Cadillac dealers.

Jenkins makes interiors for these cars. Great people. They helped me with my 64 Eldo turquoise leather.

I wish. The intake is not installed yet. Paul

Thanks Daddio, and everyone else that has racked their brains on this one. The compression gauge is fine as the compression checks good on the other bank. Its crazy. The good bank, which is the one I did not take apart is 115-120 PSI across and the bank with the new head gasket is about 75 lbs across. The low bank was just like the good one before taking apart with 115-120 across with the exception of the one dead hole with the burnt exhaust valve @ zero psi. The gasket is old likely 20 + years old, but it looked fine. I am just going to order a new gasket and start over.

OK. Who is the best source for the FelPro Gaskets? I am located in San Diego, CA.

I agree. This is not rocket science. I do wonder if over time the copper gaskets flatten out and the heads need routine re-torquings? If that is the case, then over time the head will settle closer to the block and raise the compression. In other words, is this just because the gasket is new? Thanks!

I am baffled. This makes NO sense. Never touched the timing gear. My compression tester is good, and I checked the other "good" bank. All cylinders on the good bank are roughly 115-120 psi. I did a wet test on the low bank and the increase in compression was minimal maybe 5 psi. Going crazy here.

Are the cylinder head bolt torque specifications the same for the cast iron as the aluminum heads? I only have specs for the aluminum. Thanks,

Well, I replaced the burnt valve and #1 cylinder now has compression. The problem I have now is that the compression is now 40 psi lower on every cylinder on that bank. Prior to removing the cylinder head, ALL of the other good cylinders on the same bank had very close to 120 psi. The engine had copper head gaskets so I replaced it with same type as there were spares that came with the car. I have read here on the forum to use the newer FEL PRO type gasket, but I wanted to not risk uneven compression between banks using dissimilar gaskets. The replacement copper gasket looked like the same thickness as the one removed although it is hard to tell as they get mangled when taken apart. The only other item changed was that I cleaned the carbon from the combustion chambers. There was not an excessive build-up of carbon, certainly not enough to lower compression this much. Are there thicker and thinner or early and late style gaskets? Thanks in advance for your suggestions and ideas.

I have read here the Ford valve/guide removal tool will work on the Lincoln V12s. Is there a Lincoln tool? Where can it be purchased? Looking at the repair manual it looks like one could be fabricated or modified from another type of tool or pry bar? I finally got the head off and am ready to replace the burnt valve in my 41. In one of the many boxes of parts that came with my car, I have two styles of valve guides (new) the split type and the one piece type. Also I have some mushroom tipped valves. My car has split type guides installed. Common sense says to put a split one back in cause that is what is in there now. Thanks for any help you can offer.

Does anyone know an outfit that will reproduce taillamp lenses? This is not for a Lincoln but for an older Rolls-Royce. There is no market for these lenses but a group of owners are trying to co-op and get some made for spares. Thanks, Paul Katson, '41 LC Cab, San Diego, CA

95-ML-118393-ML- Loved to the V12 Lincolns forum.

Most of the studs stayed in the block except for maybe four. I did squirt some WD-40 around the studs and packed it up yesterday. I know extreme caution should be taken when prying heads, etc. however the head gasket on these engines appears about twice the thickness as modern engines. As a last resort has anyone used a large screwdriver as a chisel to drive between the head and block to pry loose the head? Thanks.

Common sense made me thinnk of that, but I wanted to see if it had been done. Any other ideas? Thanks.

I have to remove the left cylinder head (cast iron) on my 41. I have never worked on a flathead and there are no areas to grab the head except for the water outlet but I want to be careful with that. All bolts are removed and the head will not budge. Any tricks or ideas are appreciated. Thanks,

I need a source to buy some new head bolts for my 64 Riv 425 motor and a rear main seal if there is one that is better than the original rope style that comes with the engine gasket set. Thanks.

I still have the drums all around on my 64 and they work very well when they have the correct linings. I have owned the car for 27 years and I remember when I purchased the vehicle at the age of 17 I drove the Riv like any 17 year old does wide open or slamming on the brakes. As the car got older the brakes deteriorated and did not stop as well. I replaced the linings a few times over the years but the car never stopped as well. I considered a disc conversion as I had seen many done with good results. I decided to rebuild the original drum system and it did not stop worth a darn. The problem was the newer lining material was not what the old asbestos was when it came to braking effort and fade. After finding a brake specialist to reline my shoes with the "good stuff" as he called it they worked fine and as good as disc brakes on other full-size GM products I have owned. I know, in most cased discs are much better however, the finned alluminum brake drums on the early Rivs are good at dissipitating heat, have a large swept area and work very well when right.

Thanks Jeff, my 41 has that deep Plum color, does anyone know if this was a mid year running change. My 41 was on the early side of the model year built in November, 1940.